Hey,

March 26, 2024. Maybe the date doesn't ring a bell. But if I mention the container ship Dali — the vessel that lost power in the early hours of the morning and struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore — you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.

The bridge collapsed in seconds. Six construction workers died. The port of Baltimore — the largest vehicle import hub in the United States — closed for weeks. Total insured losses are estimated between $3 and $4 billion — cargo claims, port closure losses, wreck removal, environmental costs, and legal fees all contributing to one of the largest maritime liability events in recent history.

The Dali's owner is Grace Ocean Private Limited, a Singapore-based company. Its manager is Synergy Marine Group. The vessel is registered in Singapore.

None of that matters as much as one other detail: which P&I Club was covering the Dali.

The answer is Britannia P&I — one of the 12 members of the International Group of P&I Clubs. And the moment the bridge fell, Britannia's mutual insurance system — and through it, the entire International Group pool — became responsible for one of the largest maritime liability claims in history.

This is how P&I Clubs work. And why, without them, global shipping couldn't function.